Buddy's Beat

Oma came over tonight and read books to third and fourth child. Second child was zonked out in his bed already. He will have his second wind later. I have many winds every day. I think I am on my eighth right now. Anyway, Opa took Mom to first child's orchestra concert and Oma stayed with us. I jumped up on her and told her all about everything. She is a funny little lady. She didn't want me jumping on her, but she gave me a few good pats. Mom says Oma is not a "dog person," whatever that means. Opa is a "dog person" and always plays with me, even though I bite his big hands too hard when I get all excited as he pets me. Mom says, "No bite!" and I try to control myself, but it is hard.
A couple hours later, Opa and Mom came back home with first child. Mom and I went out into the dark and cold yard and Mom ran in circles with me, round and round and round. She even threw me a stick and I carried it around with me in those circles for a long time. Mom got really tired, and when she slowed down, I laid down on the grass with my stick. Mom snuck up on me and stepped on the end of the stick! No fair! She is too big and heavy and I could not lift up the stick . . . so I broke off the lion's share of it and ran off again in more circles. Mom ran after me again, but not as long this time. She was panting, just like a dog on a hot August day! Her breath came out in puffs of cloudy air. I just laughed at her in my happy doggy way and worried my soggy stick some more. Mom had enough and marched off to the house to warm up, with me in close pursuit.

Mom ate her chocolate bar tonight when I wasn't around. Lexie got the wrapper, but guess what she did? She gave it her one sniff, then turned her head! Mom called me over and gave me the wrapper and I sniffed, and licked and then chewed it into pieces! It was very fun. I love the smell of chocolate, even if I'm not supposed to actually eat it.
We did end up getting our baths today, first me, then Lexie, then Mom. We had ours in the basement utility sink with a garden sprayer, but Mom had hers upstairs in the big human tub with peppermint smelling bubbles. I don't know how she can stand to stay in that soaking water for so long! Who would want to do that? She just stayed really still for a long time with her eyes closed and a smile on her face. Hmmmm. I got bored and left. No more water for me today, unless I'm sipping it, with a little lemon pawlease, from my water bowl.

It is such a wonderful day today! The sun is shining and that fluffy wind finally stopped huffing so hard. Mom hasn't even mentioned putting our jackets on us yet today. Thank Dog! I just wish she'd take us back to that dog park again. That was the most fun ever. She keeps talking about that bath we both need, but I think one more trip to the dog park would let us get even dirtier, then we could do the bath thing. I wouldn't be so opposed to that idea, sort of like a trade off? Big boy always tries that in our house and sometimes it works. Mom asked him to walk us one night last week and she traded him one Red Baron pizza if he would do it. He did it alright, though he doesn't give us the bestest walks like Mom does. He just sort of hauls us halfway down the block until we poo, then drags us back home. Sometimes he doesn't even pick up after us, which would make Mom really mad if she knew. She would give him "the lecture" about civic responsibility, consideration for others, do unto others, etc. I think big boy just sort of tunes Mom out sometimes, kinda like Lexie and I do when there's a squirrel in the yard or the mailman is coming up the walk. There's no reaching us then.
Mom came home this morning with a fancy dancy you-row-peein' chocolate bar from some foo-foo store. I heard Lexie asking Mom for the wrapper when she was finished. Lexie thinks she's so sneaky, but I am gonna be watching out for that wrapper so I can get some sniffs of it, too. Lexie's not gonna get away with all the good smells!

First off, by this morning Rex was acting like his usual self. Apparently I didn't damage him so badly as everyone thought I might have. Mom spruced up his outdoor hutch, made it escape-proof, added straw, hay and shavings, and then brought him up from his inside cage where he had spent last night. He hopped right in and seems to be enjoying his home once again. He got a handful of fresh chives and gobbled them up eagerly. Everyone is relieved, especially me.
Then, Oscar's mom called and Mom followed them in her van out to this place called a Dog Park. I have never heard of a dog park before. Where have we been living, Mom? Under a rock? Why haven't we been to Dog Park before? This was a blast!
We were off our leashes the entire time and got to run and romp and sniff and jump and pee wherever we wanted! I met all sorts of really nice dogs and got to jump up on them as much as I wanted. Everypup was so nice to me. I even earned a few treats by coming to Mom when she called. I think I missed a few opportunities as well, but hey! I was having the time of my life! Mom says we can go back there lots more, now that we know where it is. I am such a happy, and a little tired, dog.

Third child came outside around lunch time today and found me standing over the limp body of our pet rabbit, Rex. Oh, boy. No one saw what I did to him, and I don't think I should tell them. Rex belongs to first child, so she came out and carefully lifted him off the ground, wrapped him in a towel and carried him gingerly up to Mom and Dad's room. Mom talked to our zookeeper neighbor who said it was very likely I had broken Rex's back. Mom suspected so when Rex remained awake, breathing steadily, but was completely limp.
Mom and Dad had to take another child home who had slept overnight, so they left for a few hours (long drive) and kept in touch via phone. After a couple hours, Rex began moving his front limbs. Mom said that maybe he wasn't paralyzed all the way after all. Maybe just his back legs?
A few hours later and he began to move his back legs, too! Mom left a message on our Schnauzers Rule main page, asking everyone to lift paws for Rex. There was such a flood of kind words and encouragement. Mom called the Humane Society to ask about humane options in case we had to put Rex down (what does she mean by that?), but when she got back home, she decided they would just wait and see for a while. Rex did not seem to be suffering or flinching like he was in pain.
Mom and Dad had a dinner date at a friend's house, so they made sure everything was set at home and then left for a couple more hours. When they got back, Rex was eating and drinking and had even got up on his hind legs! Mom made a comfy bed for him in my old dog crate in the basement and when first child carefully put him in it, he even gave a tiny hop! So there is hope yet.
I felt so bad when I found out that the rust-colored bunny I had "played" with wasn't an intruder. He's been in this family for over seven years now! Mom said that no one blames me in the least. I just did what any schnauzer would have done and should have done. I'm glad they weren't mad at me. Mom researched and said that the average lifespan for a mini-rex rabbit is six years. Our Rex is already seven and, until today, has been perfectly healthy. I hope he will be okay. Let's all hope and pray for Rex.

Well, Lex and I got our walk in already with Mom and 4th child. Kinda cold outside this morning. Mom and No. 4 kept making little puffs of cloud around their heads while we walked. Lexie says that gets worse, the cloud puffs, the colder it gets. Looks like another fun thing to look forward to about winter up here!
Mom went to give platelets to the Blood Center this morning. I don't know why they need little plates . . . maybe a luncheon or something? Anyway, she came home bummed because she didn't pass her iron test. I asked her how much iron they had her try to lift. Maybe it was just too heavy for her. She walked off towards the kitchen mumbling about liver and spinach. Sounds yummy to me!
Know what else sounds yummy? My pal Montgomery schnauzer (aka 'the spider') said he would save me a sweet potato chip. Doesn't that sound fantastic! I can't wait to try one. I got one green bean today because all of our furiends on Schnauzers Rule! keep talking about how tasty and healthy they are. I liked it a lot and hope we get more of those. I wonder if they come in blue. Mom says no, not unless they are rotten. Lexie's ears perked up at the word "rotten." She overheard Mom talking about something rotten recently and has been rather neurotic about it ever since. Do you like that new word, neurotic? I learned that today when I came here to do my diary posting. Someone had been on here before me and had looked up that word on the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, and they left the definition up on the screen. I read it, and then thought to myself, "Hey, that sounds kinda like my sister, Lexie!" Maybe I should mention this to Mom.

Mom said it's all about me! Someone finally gets it! Is IS all about me. I, of course, ran off and told Lexie that it was all about me and she just glared at me and mentioned something about Sar Chasm. I told her this was no time for a geography lesson, because IT'S ALL ABOUT ME!

Out walking this morning, Lexie and I picked up the scent of something new and fabulous. We marched off with our noses to the ground, which Lexie usually does, but I usually don't. I'm always prancing with my head in the clouds. But this was so exciting. I suggested antelope. Mom shot that one down (not literally). Then I figured buffalo, or maybe eland? Caribou? Moose? There was no scat (Mom says that's a polite word), but there was lots of pee on one of our favorite trees (any of 50-some that border our block) and we had to remark the entire circuit, just in case some elephant or something got the idea that this could be his stomping grounds - no way!
Mom called me Tigger last night. She said I have springs and that my feet are made out of rubber. Huh? I checked. They don't look like rubber. Actually, they kinda do look like rubber, but don't taste like rubber and there is fur poking out from between my black toe pads. I didn't find any springs, either. Silly Mom. She makes me want to bounce!

Mom said she was on the liptical machine watching cable TV, Animal Planet, at the gym yesterday when this dog trainer lady came on and started talking about a small, yappy mini dachshund who wouldn't stop barking and was trying to take over the household. She says to herself, "Well, whaddya know? I've got one who won't stop barking, and another one who wants to take over the house. I better stay here and watch this!" That's why she was late getting home. Now, I don't bark all that much, and Lexie certainly isn't trying to take over this house. I wonder what Mom was thinking of?

Well, for the past two nights on our evening walks, we have been made to wear our costumes and there are bazillions of people outside making a racket and collecting very good smelling things all over the place. There are lights and sounds and smells and tons of people who say how cute I am and can I pet you? Lexie said it's Halloween and people do this for a few days, and then start Christmas shopping at night instead. At one house, we even got a doggie treat!
When we got home, our fourth child boy had this huge sack full of goodies. Mom made him put it waaaaay up high where we couldn't even get close to sniff! I think that what's in there is no good for schnauzers. Rats. But I am still getting my post-dental meds with food, so I'm golden.
I was wearing my satan costume tonight and fourth child thought is was fun to keep telling me, "Get behind me, satan!" He knows I haven't learned to heel yet. I wonder why he kept saying that?